Archive for the ‘medical errors’ Category
Rhode Island Hospital Sued for Drill Bit Accident; Are You at Risk of Medical Malpractice During Your Surgery in Kansas City?
October 22nd, 2010
Posted in Brain Surgery Accidents, medical errors
Undergoing a medical procedure or surgery, no matter how minor, can be a scary situation. There are so many things that can go wrong as is, without worrying about your doctor or surgeon making a stupid preventable mistake and making things worse.
Rhode Island Hospital is being investigated after a neurosurgeon accidentally left a 1/4″ drill bit in a patients skull during a surgical procedure on August 4, 2010. The hospital removed the drill bit piece two days later and has since suspended the surgeon and surgical staff involved in the incident.
Our Kansas and Missouri Medical Malpractice Attorneys hope you never have to face a situation like this. A great majority of doctors and surgeons working in this country take great pride in their work and know the risks you are taking by putting your life in their hands. In order to protect yourself, be informed. Ask a lot of questions, even if you have to make the doctor repeat him or herself. Make sure you understand completely what is going to go on during your procedure and you are well aware of any and all side affects. The more information you have, the better you will be able to detect if anything is wrong following your operation.
If you or someone you love has suffered a serious injury as the direct result of a mistake made during a medical procedure or surgery and you feel the doctor is at fault for your condition, you may have rights the insurance companies aren’t telling you about. You need someone in your corner you can trust to give it to you straight. Call experienced Kansas City Personal Injury Lawyers James Roswold. With over 15 years of experience in Medical Malpractice, including Brain Injury related cases , we may be able to assist you and your family through this difficult time.
Contact Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys to setup your free consultation.
Should Kansas City Parents be Concerned of a Repeat of the Florida Circumcision Case with their Newborn Child?
September 23rd, 2010
Posted in medical errors
Parents of newborn babies have enough to worry about without wondering if doctors and nurses are respecting their wishes on how their newborn infant is treated. Because of a huge misunderstanding, a Florida family is facing a legal battle against South Miami Hospital, after the couple’s newborn son was circumcised against the families repeated wishes against the procedure. The hospital blames a misread consent form, but the family doesn’t think an apology is enough. The family instead is suing South Miami Hospital, not for medical malpractice, but for gross negligence and batter.
As Kansas and Missouri Medical Malpractice Attorneys, unfortunately we see cases far too often that happen because consent forms or patient wishes go either unheard or ignored. We encourage all new parents in Kansas City to make sure you are getting the right papers, including consent forms, signed and authorized to avoid any possible mis-communication.
Always ask questions even if you feel like you are repeating yourself, just to make sure doctors and nurses are on the same page and that you understand everything that is happening in your treatment, whether you or a loved one are the patient or you are the parent or guardian of a patient.
If you or someone you love has suffered a serious injury as the result of an unauthorized procedure or a medical malpractice accident in Kansas or Missouri, you should know your rights as a victim. Call experienced Kansas City Personal Injury Lawyers James Roswold and Heather Lottman. With over 15 years of experience in Medical Malpractice cases including Child Injury Accidents, we can help you and your family determine the best way to proceed with your claim.
Contact Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys today for a free consultation.
Diet Pill Meridia May Cause Heart Disease; Check With Your Kansas City Doctor First
September 20th, 2010
Posted in medical errors, Medical Malpractice, Prescriptions
Consumers who are taking the pill Meridia are encouraged to pay attention to a recent medical report that suggests that the diet drug could lead to heart attacks, strokes and heart disease. The drug, which is supposed to help patients lose weight has undergone its share of scrutiny lately because of reports it also increases blood pressure in those who take it. Because of new reports that suggest it can cause fatal and non-fatal heart attacks, strokes and lead to deadly heart disease, there is a resounding call for Meridia to be pulled from the consumer market.
The study is the reaction to at least 17 deaths between 2002 and 2009, in which the victims all suffered heart failure or disease and all were taking the drug, Meridia. In each of these cases, the deceased was young with no previous history of heart disease.
As Kansas City Defective Medical Device Lawyers, we encourage you to do your homework when taking any diet supplement. Always consult your doctor or physician before taking any kind of diet pill or supplement.
If you or someone you love has suffered a serious injury as the result of a prescription medication or a defective medical device, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses, including lost wages, medical bills and legal fees. Before you try and take on the insurance companies, call experienced Kansas City Personal Injury Lawyer James Roswold. With over 15 years of experience in Medical Malpractice and Defective Medical Device Injury cases, we can help you determine the best way to proceed with your claim.
Contact Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys today and find out how you can get a free consultation.
Are Kansas City Hospitals Having Problems With Infection Control?
July 14th, 2010
Posted in medical errors
According to a recent federal study, many same day surgery centers have are having problems with infection control. These surgery centers are where patients typically go to get more simple procedures done such as ear/nose/throat procedures, foot surgeries, and injections.
The general violations cited by the study include reusing devices meant for single use, failing to wash hands and wear gloves, and failing to clean glucose meters.
The study consisted of inspectors visiting centers throughout Oklahoma, Maryland and North Carolina. These inspectors would follow one patient through an entire stay using an infection control audit tool.
The shocking results were that 67 percent of the centers that were audited were cited for having at least one violation when it comes to infection control and 57 percent had noted deficiencies.
Dr. Philip Barie of Weill Cornell Medical College said that “These people knew they were under observation, had the opportunity to be on their best behavior and yet these lapses were still identified, some of which potentially are very dangerous and have been warned against explicitly.”
This is a clear lapse in control by regulators, and although state agencies are in place to regulate such institutions, unfortunately they tend to fall behind. Luckily, former Governor of the State of Kansas and current U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius recently stated that her department is on track to implement an action plan focused primarily on infection control.
Read our article, “Seven Tips To Help You Avoid Being A Victim of Kansas City Hospital Error”
As Kansas City Personal Injury Lawyers, we feel that until this plan is fully implemented we have yet another example of why a routine procedure could potentially turn harmful. Even worse, the prospect of these easily preventable infections leading to conditions that were worse than the original ailment that brought the patient to get the procedure in the first place is nothing less that despicable.
It should be noted that the study was not meant to observe whether or not patients actually got infected.
If you have suffered serious injury because of an infection during a hospital visit in Kansas and Missouri and feel someone else should be held accountable, call Kansas City Medical Malpractice Attorneys James Roswold and Heather Lottman.
NFL Legend’s Medical Malpractice Lawsuit; Are You At Risk Of Pulmonary Embolism In Kansas City?
March 5th, 2010
Posted in Celebrity Medical Negligence, medical errors
The family of Dwight White, a gridiron legend and member of four winning Super Bowl teams with the Pittsburgh Steelers, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit claiming that physicians and hospitals providing treatment to him were guilty of medical malpractice following a back surgery for a herniated disc performed in May of 2008. Shortly after the operation, White was found to have a blood clot in his lung known as a pulmonary embolism from which he ultimately died.
An attorney for the White family indicates that they believe there was an unnecessary delay in diagnosing the pulmonary embolism and that once it was diagnosed it was not appropriately treated. White died after suffering multiple organ failure. He was 58 years old at the time of his death.
Pulmonary embolism is a condition that occurs when one or more arteries in the lungs becomes blocked. Typically, this occurs when blood clots travel from the legs to the lungs. It is a common condition and as this case shows, one that is potentially lethal.
Risk factors for pulmonary embolism include prolonged immobility, prior surgery, age, family history, certain medical conditions and lifestyle.
The classic symptoms of pulmonary embolism include sudden and unexplained shortness of breath, chest pain and a cough that may produce blood tinged sputum. Unfortunately, symptoms can vary and often they are vague and non-specific.
Because the symptoms of pulmonary embolism are variable and often suggest other potential causes, it is not surprising that it is often missed by doctors. Medical studies show patients who have died unexpectedly from pulmonary embolism have revealed that they often had complained of nagging symptoms for lengthy periods prior to their death. Many of them had been seen by a doctor in the weeks prior to their death.
Although it is not clear exactly what took place here, the news reports suggest that complaints by Mr. White following surgery were not initially thought to be related to a pulmonary embolism.
As Kansas City Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Roswold Law Group, we look to this unfortunate case as a reminder to patients and doctors alike in Kansas City for the need to be vigilant in connection with this potentially deadly condition. Should a person in Missouri and Kansas experience unusual and unexpected symptoms following surgery, they should report them immediately to their physician. Physicians should consider these carefully in order to avoid a medical mistake that might cost someone their life.
If you have experienced a pulmonary embolism and believe that it may be related to medical malpractice in Kansas or Missouri, we would encourage you to contact our Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys who have over 15 years of experience in medical malpractice cases.
Our site contains specific information about the subjects of pulmonary embolism, medical malpractice and wrongful death claims and provides helpful information to those in the Kansas City area who have suffered personal injury including those from a medical mistake.
AAJ Launches New Website Against Tort Reform
February 2nd, 2010
Posted in medical errors, tort reform
The American Association for Justice (“AAJ”) is raising awareness of the dangerous impact that medical errors have on patients and providing an understanding about the value of medical malpractice litigation, and to fight against tort reform. To raise such awareness, the AAJ launched a new website, http://www.98000reasons.org, to encourage visitors to push Congress to “put patients first.”
According to www.98000reasons.org, preventable medical errors are the sixth leading cause of death in the United States claiming 98,000 deaths yearly.
It provides an opportunity to sign an electronic petition to be sent to the Senate urging them not to use “medical tribunals,” also referred to as special medical malpractice courts as that would unfairly deny claimants their 7th Amendment right to a trial by jury.
The petition urges that “Under NO circumstance, does medical malpractice tort reform belong in the health care reform bill.” If you or someone you love has been injured due to medical malpractice, visit http://www.98000reasons.org and get heard.
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